Distribution of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) with isomer analysis among the tissues of aquatic organisms in Taihu Lake, China

Abstract

The distribution of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the isomers of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was investigated among various tissues (including muscle, gill, kidney, liver) and eggs, in aquatic organisms in Taihu Lake, China. Highest concentration of ΣPFASs was mostly found in liver (278–685 ng/g ww) and eggs (66.0–467 ng/g ww) while the lowest was in muscle (40.6–165 ng/g ww). n-PFOS was the predominant PFOS isomer in most of the tissues with a proportion of 46.3–96.5%. Ratios of PFAS concentrations in eggs to those in liver (E/L) increased positively with the protein-water partition coefficient. The E/L of PFOS isomers descended in the order: linear > monomethyl > diperfluoromethyl isomers. The liver/muscle and kidney/muscle ratios of n-PFOS were higher than branched isomers, suggesting that n-PFOS has higher binding affinity with hepatic proteins or branched isomers are preferentially excreted though liver and kidney.